Back catalogue: Leftfield

Review: Japanese maverick Kohei Matsunaga, aka NHK yx Koyxen explores far and wide on this new album Climb Downhill 2. It comes after many years of unusual but ultimately excellent sounds on the likes of Diagonal, DFA, Pan, L.I.E.S. and right back to Mille Plateaux and WordSound. Across 13 cuts he truly gets loose and abstract, mishmashing endless genres and sub-genres into lively cuts that are both dance yet cerebral. His sketch-pad style approach to building sonics makes each tune a live and restless collision of freaky frequencies and squealing synths, busted bass and broken beats.

Review: Carlos NiNo & Friends' Placenta represents a deeply conceptual and collaborative effort and serves as their fourth album release under International Anthem. Inspired by NiNo's recent experience of fatherhood, the album reveres the essence of family, birth, and the marvel of new life. Each track embarks on a sonic voyage, from the soulful 'Love to all Doulas!' to the ethereal 'Moonlight Watsu in Dub.' NiNo's eclectic approach traverses various sounds and textures, echoing his belief in the influential force of friendships in fostering creative endeavours. With an impressive lineup of collaborators, Placenta epitomises the resilience of community and the boundless scope of musical innovation.

Review: Carlos NiNo & Friends' album Placenta is available in several formats including CD, translucent purple barbed double vinyl and plain black wax, which is what we have here. The record is their fourth release on International Anthem and was inspired by NiNo's recent journey into fatherhood. It pays homage to family, birth, and the wonder of new life as each track embarks on a sonic odyssey, from the soulful 'Love to all Doulas!' to the ethereal 'Moonlight Watsu in Dub.' NiNo's diverse approach traverses a spectrum of sounds and textures, reflecting his belief in the influential power of friendships to nurture creative ventures.

Review: Carlos NiNo & Friends' Placenta is a deeply conceptual and collaborative album, marking the fourth collection of their imaginative music released on International Anthem in recent years. Inspired by NiNo's experience of becoming a father again, the album is dedicated to the spirit of family, birth, and the experience of bringing new life into the world. Each track is a sonic exploration, from the soulful 'Love to all Doulas!' to the ethereal 'Moonlight Watsu in Dub.' NiNo's refusal to confine himself to genres is evident in the diverse sounds and textures woven throughout the album, reflecting his belief that friendships drive the greatest creative collaborations. With contributions from an impressive list of collaborators, Placenta is a prime example to the power of community and the boundless possibilities of musical experimentation. It's a heartfelt and visionary work that invites listeners on a transformative journey of sound and emotion.

Review: Joseph Shabason, Matthew Sage, and Nicholas Krgovich form a harmonious triangle, both musically and geographically. Hailing from Toronto, Colorado, and Vancouver respectively, they converged at Sage's barn studio nestled at the foot of the Rockies to explore their shared talent for finding beauty in life's mundane moments. Shabason, known for blending late 80s adult-contemporary and smooth jazz aesthetics into ethereal soundscapes, joins forces with Sage, who combines instrumental prowess with synthesis and field recordings to evoke the natural world's whimsy and profundity. Completing the trio is Krgovich, whose observational poetics add a relatable touch to their calm expressionism. Their collaborative album, warmly Shabason, Krgovich, Sage extends the wry and melancholic micro-miracles established in their previous works.